The growing commercial vehicle segment will see another contender in April when the 2013 Nissan NV200 arrives in showrooms with a base price of $20,835 (including destination). Nissan released all the details on its newest commercial van at the 2013 Chicago auto show.

The 2013 NV200 is cheaper and much smaller than the Titan-based NV2500 and NV3500 commercial vans that entered the U.S. market over a year ago. Nissan says the smaller van will hold up to 122.7 cubic feet of cargo, and a low floor height of just 19.5 inches should make it relatively easy to load and unload the goods.The sole powertrain is a 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated I-4 rated at 131 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque; Power is sent to the front wheels via Nissan’s latest continuously variable transmission and the automaker says the van should achieve 24 mpg combined and 24/25 mpg city/highway. Nissan is currently testing an electric version of the NV fitted with a modified version of the Leaf’s powertrain, but the automaker hasn’t officially green-lighted the zero-emissions NV200 for production.

The NV200 will be available in S or SV trim levels. Both will come standard with 15-inch steel wheels, brake assist, power windows, 12-volt power outlet, a 6-way adjustable driver's seat, and tire pressure monitoring system. The SV model adds cruise control, cargo tie-down hooks, steering wheel-mounted infotainment buttons, power adjustable side view mirrors, power door locks, and remote keyless entry. Options like navigation and a backup camera are available on the SV model. The cabin can also be transformed into a mobile office thanks to items like laptop storage, pen and pencil holders, and a passenger seat that turns into a table when the backrest is folded flat.

Once the NV200 arrives, it will compete against the Ford Transit Connect, which was first offered to Americans back in 2010. However, an all-new 2014 Transit Connect is set to arrive this fall with a long list of features including two wheelbase choices and two engine offerings – a turbocharged 1.6-liter turbocharged I-4 and a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder. Ford hasn’t released official power figures, but we predict the former will produce 170 hp and the latter should put out 178 hp. Ford is also confident that certain variants of the Transit Connect will achieve 30 mpg on the highway.Ram hopes to cash in on the segment by offering a Fiat Doblo-based van in the U.S., which could arrive in showrooms by the end of this year.Following the NV200’s arrival this April, Nissan’s new van will serve as New York’s official taxi starting this October. Nissan is currently performing durability test on the NV200 taxi, which is at the center of a controversial lawsuit involving city officials and taxi operators.For all the latest news, photos, videos, and much more direct from the 2013 Chicago auto show floor, don’t forget to CLICK OVER to our 2013 Chicago show coverage page.Source: Nissan

New York City comptroller John Liu says he won’t approve the city’s contract with Nissan to make the NV200 the city's exclusive taxi cab because he believes it violates the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the Transportation Nation reports.

The New York Taxi & Limousine Commission’s selection of the Nissan NV200 Taxi over some of the other contenders - the Turkish Karsan entry in particular - rankled New York’s handicapped rider community, because the Karsan proposal was for a 100-percent accessible fleet.